Lemon

INGREDIENTS:
2 whole chickens, washed, patted dry

5 carrots, peeled, cut into 4ths

5 celery ribs, cut into 4ths

3 yellow onions, peeled, quartered

2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

2 tsp cracked white pepper (or fresh ground black pepper)

2 lemons, halved

12 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp olive oil

4 Tbsp butter, room temperature

4 sprigs fresh Rosemary, chopped

2 sprigs fresh Rosemary, whole

4 bay leaves, whole

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Position oven racks so that when the roasting pan is in the oven the chicken will roast in the middle of the oven, then turn heat to 400.

2.  Mix the butter, olive oil, garlic & chopped Rosemary together and set aside.

3.  In large, greased roasting pan:  arrange the prepared carrots, celery & onions in the bottom and set aside.

4.  Mix the salt & pepper together and season the chickens with it, inside & out.

5.  Cut the lemons in half and squeeze over the chickens, inside & out.

6.  Rub the chickens with the butter, oil, garlic, rosemary mixture, inside & out, .

7.  Place the bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, and lemon haves in the chicken cavity.

8.  Place chickens in roasting pan, breast side up, on top of the cut-up vegetables.

9.  Roast the chickens, uncovered, in the 400 degree oven for approx 1 hour 15 minutes  (juices run clear – 160 degree on thermometer in thickest part of leg).

10.  Remove chickens from oven and let  them rest 10-15 minutes before carving.

This dish requires your constant attention to prepare.  It is a good dish to prepare when your family/friends gather in the kitchen because you can take turns cooking it, while everyone is talking and having a good time.  It is delicious and really worth the time spent preparing it.

Makes 4 side servings or 2 main dish servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 cup Arborio rice, washed
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• salt, to taste – probably 1/2 tsp or so
• 1 lemon – grate for zest & squeeze for juice
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

1. Have the stock simmering very low in a separate sauce pan.
2. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed frying pan.
3. Saute the onion & garlic over medium low heat until the onion is golden.
4. Add the rice and continue to saute, stirring constantly, until the grains are glistening with oil.
5. Stir in the wine & salt and cook over medium heat, constantly stirring.  The wine should simmer very softly until it evaporates.
6. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful of stock and continue to cook slowly simmering & stirring.
7. Continue cooking in this manner:  cooking rice until liquid is evaporated, adding one ladleful of stock at a time, stirring constantly, USING ALL BUT ONE LADLEFUL OF STOCK.
8. After about 25-30 minutes the rice should be cooked al dente/firm to the bite.
9. In a separate bowl, beat together the lemon juice, lemon zest, egg & Parmesan cheese and set aside.
10. Add the last ladleful of stock so that the rice is not completely dry and remove from heat.
11. Immediately stir in the lemon mixture and taste to adjust salt & pepper.
12. Return to heat and stir for a few seconds.
13. Serve right away,

This is a greek sauce and is absolutely fresh and fantastic.  The cucumber realy adds a great fresh flavor.

Ingredients

• 32 oz Whole Milk Yogurt, greek style if you can find it.
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled
• 2 cucumbers
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic minced as fine as you can
• 1/4 Tbs Coriander
• 1/4 Tbs Cumin
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Some chives(optional)

Instructions

• Start off by taking the onion and shredding it with the finest side of your grater, practically juicing it into the bowl that you will make the Tzatsiki sauce in.   Then take 1 cucumber that is peeled and seeded and do the same.
• Put the yogurt into the bowl and add the lemon juice, garlic, coriander and cumin.  Stir and mix.
• Peel and take the seeds out of the other cucumber as well.  Cut the cucumber into small chunks and add to the Tzatsiki along with some chopped chives.
• Salt&Pepper to taste.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving so the flavors have time to come together.